Autumn; A Time For Harvest and Restoration
“Psalm 107: 37-38: They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest; He blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and He did not let their herds diminish.”
Late summer and autumn are synonymous with harvest and the gathering in of crops safely for the winter months. Although we’re surrounded by trees and have plenty of green space just a few minutes’ walk away, here at The Highbury Centre, there’s no denying that we’re a bit short on fields, vineyards and herds. However, we look on the work we do offering Christian accommodation in London as a year-round harvest, offering restoration and peace to our visitors and giving them a quiet and tranquil place of rest after their labours. Thank you letters and emails, reviews on TripAdvisor and face-to-face chats with our guests are a confirmation that our work here in Highbury is really bearing fruit for many.
As a Christian guesthouse, we’re also very aware that we are stewards of God’s good earth. Farmer’s markets have become ever more popular over the last twenty years or so, giving consumers the assurance that they’re buying food with good provenance, often from the person who grew or raised it in the first place. The Islington Farmers’ Market can be found on Penton Street, Angel, just under 2 miles from the Highbury Centre. Now twenty years old, the market offers a wide range of delicious, organic produce including honey, fruit and vegetables, bread, eggs and cakes. They encourage their customers to bring their own bags to reduce single-use plastic and all their stall-holders have a story. Rather than going to a faceless supermarket, farmers’ markets such as this one are a great way to encourage small business and reduce waste. The market runs from 10-2 every Sunday, ideal for picking up a picnic for after church.
Even in the city, there are horticultural oases. Culpeper Community Garden offers plots for local people without gardens so that they can grow their own produce. It’s a beautiful place to go to enjoy the fragrance of late summer flowers, watch the birds flit from tree to tree and meditate upon God’s bounty and goodness. Just over one and a half miles from The Highbury Centre, it’s the perfect destination for a peaceful afternoon soaking up the beauty of the natural world.